Federal Stimulus CheckupFederal Stimulus Checkup

SPRING 2010

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in West Georgia

GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY-BASED DRUG PREVENTIONTARY L. BROWN WINS NAHC AWARD · ONE-YEAR STIMULUS ANNIVERSARY

HIT UPDATE · PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CENTER RECEIVES GRANT WEST END UNINSURED CHILDREN INITIATIVES · ER DIVERSION PROGRAMS

DAY AT THE CAPITOL

director’sperspective DUANE A. KAVKA Inside EditionSPRING 2010VOLUME 11 NUMBER 31

Duane A. KavkaExecutive Director

Elsie P. BrownGovernment RelationsCoordinator

Marcus GarnerSpecial Projects Director

Gwendolyn D. HarperChief Financial Officer

Katie JoselowProgram Coordinator andData Specialist

Deanne MessinaMarketing Director andConference Manager

Kimberly MulkeyAccounting Assistant

Jan Wilkerson, RN, CPHQQuality ImprovementManager

LaShun C. WrightDirector of Clinical Quality Services

ConsultantsTimothy Roark Director of IT Services

Richard Turner, EHR/PM Project Director

Brian Williams, MD, EHR Clinical Consultant

Linnon ParkerReporting and ApplicationsManager

Bob BousquetSenior Systems Engineer

Inside Edition is published by The Georgia Association ForPrimary Health Care, Inc.315 W Ponce De Leon AvenueSuite 1000Decatur, Georgia 30000404.659.2861877.77.GAPHC404.659.2801 (fax)www.gaphc.org

ON THE COVER

Loretta Tucker, Carissa Moser, Kathleen Sebelius,Dr. Nowlin, Katrina Gross (Hired with ARRA funds)

I am excited about what is in store for

Georgia’s Community Health Centers this

year. If the first quarter is any indication,

2010 will be a great year as we increase

our efforts to provide quality care for those

needing it most. Already this year we are

expanding Georgia’s HIT (Health Information

Technology), we have started the Marketing-Outreach Network, a

number of Community Health Centers have received various grants,

our members have received national recognition

for their hard work and Secretary Sebelius has visited a center

here in Georgia.

GAPHC will continue to work with and support our member

organizations and continue to move ahead and promote the growth

of the FQHC movement in Georgia and the provision of quality

health care for those that need us.

contentsspring 2010

9 | DAY AT THECAPITOL

4 | HIT UPDATESPREPARATION FORUDS REPORTING

3 | NACHC AWARD

TARY L BROWN RECEIVESNACHC AWARD

5| GRANT AWARDEDPRIMARY HEALTHCARE CENTERRECEIVES GRANT

3

2

3

6

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GRANTS AVAILABLE FORCOMMUNITY-BASED DRUGPREVENTION

COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERSMARK ONE-YEAR STIMULUSANNIVERSARY

COVER STORYSEBELIUS IN WEST GA. FORFED STIMULUS CHECKUP

ER DIVERSION PROGRAMS IN GEORGIA

IMPORTANT DATES

5

11

2 | INSIDE EDITION SPRING 2010

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)and the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) isannouncing the availability of more than $1.1 million for new DrugFree Communities Support Mentoring program (DFC Mentoring)grants. An estimated 15 new Mentoring grants will be awarded (up to$75,000 per grant, per year) to drug and alcohol prevention communitycoalitions from across the nation. The length of the project period is upto two years.

“These grants will ensure that the most proven drug preventionstrategies are spread across the country,” said HHS Secretary KathleenSebelius. “The Substance Abuse and Mental Health ServicesAdministration, one of HHS’ leading agencies dedicated to preventingdrug abuse, will be working closely with ONDCP in an effort to makecommunity-level mentoring programs available where they are most needed.”

“The Drug Free Communities support program is the largestcommunity-focused Federal drug prevention effort in the UnitedStates,” said Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug ControlPolicy. “By providing new drug and alcohol prevention coalitions withinvaluable insight and direction, the DFC Mentoring program enhancescommunity-based drug prevention efforts. It helps communities addresstheir particular substance abuse risks and challenges, and empowersthem to craft their own prevention strategies and responses.”

The primary focus of the DFC Mentoring program is to provide grantfunds to existing DFC grantees, so they may serve as mentors to newlyformed and/or developing coalitions that have never received a DFCgrant to increase their capacity to implement effective drug-preventionstrategies in the communities they serve.

“The Drug Free Communities Support program is the foundation forour Nation's efforts to prevent and reduce substance abuse,” saidSAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. “One of the novelthings about the Mentoring Program is that it helps new community

coalitions learn about effective prevention strategies from theexperiences of more established coalitions.”

To be eligible for a DFC Mentoring grant, a coalition must have been inexistence for five years; be a current DFC grantee or grantee applicant; have achieved measurable results in youth drug and alcohol prevention;and have dedicated staff, volunteers, or members to assist the menteecoalition(s). Prevention-ready communities seeking to be mentoredunder a DFC Mentoring grant must demonstrate the ability to garnercommunity support from local key sectors and stakeholders, includingyouth, parents, businesses, media, law enforcement, government, andreligious and civic organizations.

DFC Mentoring grants are awarded through a competitive peer reviewprocess. The deadline to submit a DFC Mentoring grant application isFriday, April 23, 2010.

To learn more about the Drug Free Communities support program, grant application, or its requirements, please visit:www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/dfc

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2010pres/02/20100223a.html

More than $1.1 Million in GrantsAvailable for Community-Based

Drug Prevention Coalitions

Bethesda, MD- People and communitiesare healthier thanks to the investment inAmerica’s Health Centers from theAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act(ARRA), or the “economic stimulus.” Thelaw, enacted one year ago this week,provided funds that helped health centersexpand care to the growing numbers ofjobless and uninsured people who werequickly filling up their waiting rooms.ARRA funds made it possible for healthcenters to increase capacity in variety ofways in response to the surge in demand.Whether it was expanding a facility,building a new one, expanding hours ofoperation or hiring a new dentist orclinician, the ARRA investment in healthcenters is making a difference.

“The recession has brought new patients tothe doors of health centers in communitiesall over the country,” said Dan Hawkins,Senior Vice President of Public Policy forthe National Association of CommunityHealth Centers (NACHC). “Theeconomic stimulus investment in healthcenters will make it possible to reach nearly2.9 million new patients, and alreadythey’ve seen the largest influx of newpatients in the history of the program.”

Signed on February 17, 2009, the economicstimulus bill provided a one-time funding

of $2 billion for health centers to expandcare and create jobs. Since the economicstimulus funding was allocated, healthcenters have been able to expand theirreach to 1.8 million patients, includingmore than 900,000 uninsured individuals.

“The economic stimulus funding was theright medicine at the right time and oneyear later the investment is still deliveringresults,” said Hawkins. “It is important toremember, however, that this was one-timefunding at a time when many statescontinue to face a growing demand forservices while dealing with significantbudget shortfalls. Continued and sustainedsupport of health centers is critical becausemore people in America will struggle tofind access to affordable health care whilestates slash funding for their healthprograms.”

Nationally, uninsured patient visits are upby 21 percent and are likely to continueincreasing as the economic recessionlingers.

NACHC has produced a new fact sheetabout the ARRA investment and a mapshowing how the ARRA funds aredelivering results in communities. Economic impact is further discussed in aseparate report released February 16, 2010by the Geiger Gibson/RCHN Community

Health Foundation Research Collaborativeat The George Washington UniversitySchool of Public Health and HealthServices, Department of Health Policy.

INSIDE EDITION SPRING 2010 | 3

COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS MARK PROGRESS AT ONE-YEAR

STIMULUS ANNIVERSARY Modified from NACHC.com

Tary L. Brown, CEO, Albany Area PrimaryHealth Care, Inc., was selected by theNACHC Federal & State Affairs staff as arecipient of the NACHC 2010 Betsey K.Cooke Advocacy MVP Award for his hardwork and dedication to building HealthCenter Advocacy power and furtheringthe Health Center Policy Agenda inCongress in 2009. There were only fifteen

Cooke Advocacy Awards giving thisyear. NACHC uses this award as “a smallway to demonstrate how much all of us atNACHC appreciate your efforts and to letyour Health Center and PCA colleaguesknow how much they all owe you.”

This year the awards presentation tookplace during the Congressional AwardsPresentation at Policy and Issues Forum,in Washington, DC, on ThursdayFebruary 25th. Marc Wetherhorn,National Advocacy Director, NACHCpresented the award to Mr. Brown.

THE DATA

Data demonstrate that health centers are living up to their ARRA commitments.

· By the end of 2009 – ninemonths after health centersreceived funding under the ARRA to support operations –health centers had reached an additional 1.8 millionpatients. This influx of newpatients represents the largestannual growth in the history ofthe Health Center Program.

· ARRA funding generated anadditional $1.4 billion in economicbenefits to health centers’communities. In total, funding willyield $3.2 billion in neweconomic benefits annually.

· Health centers had reached morethan 900,000 uninsuredpatients by the end of 2009.

Tary L. Brown Awardedthe 2010 Betsey K.Cooke Advocacy MVPAward from NACHC

4 | INSIDE EDITION SPRING 2010

The GAPHC HIT team lead the HRSA sponsored webinar,EHR Clinical UDS Reporting, January 15, 2010 on site atPrimary Care of Southwest Georgia’s (PCSWGA) Blakelylocation. The webinar was attended by more than threehundred participants nationwide. Duane A. Kavka,

Executive Director, GAPHC, opened thepresentation with an overview of the GAPHCHealth Information Technology (HIT) and itsrole in supporting the member organization’spreparation for UDS reporting.

Mr. Kavka also introduced the HIT Teammembers and turned the program over toTimothy Roark, Director of IT Services,GAPHC, for a brief introduction to theprogram content to be covered. CandaceThomas, Clinical Director at PCSWGA, thenconducted a presentation on the creation ofUDS reports from the eClinicalWorks EBOreport writer. In addition, reporting onproductivity and quality monitoring wasaddressed using graphical and tabular data

presentation. The session was followed by a lively questionand answer session. The presentation was recognized asa tremendous success by attendees and the HRSAdignitaries in attendance.

HIT UpdateRichard Turner, EHR/PM Project Director, GAPHC

INSIDE EDITION SPRING 2010 | 5

WEST ENDMEDICALCENTERSBRINGSHOPE TOUNINSUREDCHILDRENOF GEORGIA

West End Medical Centers, inconjunction with The Medical College ofGeorgia and the Structured Employmentand Economic Development Corporation(SEEDCO), hosted a Press Conferenceon January 15, 2010 in the Rotunda ofthe State Capitol Building. Theseorganizations announced receiving$2.5M in federal funding to help enrolluninsured children in Georgia.

There are approximately 307,000uninsured children in the state. MichaelBrooks, MD, Sr VP, West End MedicalCenters, believes they, with support fromtheir partners, will enroll 9,000additional children in insuranceprograms over the next two years. TheChildren Health Insurance ProgramReauthorization Act (CHIPRA) was oneof the first pieces of legislations signed

by President Obama on February 2,2009. CHIPRA adds $33 Billion infederal funds for child coverage over thenext four years, and is expected toprovide coverage to 4.1 Million childrenin Medicaid and CHIP who otherwisewould have been uninsured in 2013.

State Representative Roberta AbdulSalaam was instrumental in setting theappointment at the capitol. StateRepresentative Pat Gardner, StateSenator Donzella James, SateRepresentative Kathy Ashe, StateSenator Vincent Fort, City CouncilmanC. T. Martin, Pat Willis, the Director ofVoices for Georgia’s Children and theAtlantic Public School System havealso been supportive of West EndMedical Centers and their mission toassist the uninsured.

Primary Health Care Center’s(PHCC) CEO, Diana Allen,accepted a Georgia Baptist HealthCare Ministry Foundation's$100,000 grant award at its Duluth, GA headquarters onFebruary 18, 2010.

The grant will be used to assist with start-up of a new site(new access point) in Chattooga County, Georgia. ChattoogaCounty is designated as a Medically Underserved Area and aHealth Professional Shortage Area. Upon the HealthResources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) release ofadditional funding for new access points, PHCC will applyfor additional grant dollars to assist with the development ofthis new site in Summerville.

In the fall of 2009 GeorgiaAssociation for Primary HealthCare (GAPHC) received a HRSAplanning grant for ChattoogaCounty. With assistance from this planning grant, PrimaryHealth Care Center has held community meetings, met with

many of the county’s political, civic and professional leadersand identified facility and other resources. Health care needsand gaps in services have been identified. PHCC continues to meet with community leaders, civic groups, schoolrepresentatives and others to educate them aboutCommunity Health Centers, the process for opening a centerand what a the Community Health Center will bring toChattooga County.

Diana Allen pictured with Arnold Johnson,GBHCMF Chairman

Primary Health Care Center ReceivesGBHCMF Grant for Chattooga County

Site Development

6 | INSIDE EDITION SPRING 2010

SEBELIUS IN WESTGEORGIA FOR FEDSTIMULUS CHECKUP

SEBELIUS IN WESTGEORGIA FOR FEDSTIMULUS CHECKUP

INSIDE EDITION SPRING 2010 | 7

It’s been one year since the signing of PresidentObama’s federal stimulus program.

Hundreds of billions of dollars have been tied toconstruction projects and hiring new workers across the country through the federal stimulus. Themoney’s been directed to all sectors of the economy.

A sliver of the funding – a little more than $8million – went to the west Georgia community tohelp boost healthcare services there.

Jon Wollenzien, Jr. is CEO of Palmetto HealthCouncil, a non-profit network of seven communityhealth centers in the region. He says the money’sbeen critical for an area with large numbers ofresidents either under-insured – or without –health insurance:

A community health center in Carrollton got a visit today from Health and

Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. She’s one of numerous

officials with the Obama administration fanned-out across the country

this week to mark the one year anniversary of the American Recovery

and Reinvestment Act.

STIMULUS CHECKUP BY EDGAR TREIGUTS, GPB.ORG · FEBRUARY 16, 2010

Kathleen Sebelius, Beverly Dukes (Patient), Dr. Nowlin,Loretta Tucker (Pharmacist hired with ARRA funds), Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

Previous Page: Carrollton Staff

8 | INSIDE EDITION SPRING 2010

“Those patients that come in those doors and knock onour doors ... they’re all telling us the same thing. ‘I’verecently lost my job, my spouse has lost their job andwe can’t afford health coverage. Can you help me?’”

Wollenzien, Jr. says a little more than $6 million hasbeen directed to a new medical building in Palmetto.The work involves 70 new construction hires. He says$559,000 was dedicated to renovation of existing

buildings in its medical network; another $1 million forexpanding services into Meriwether County;$290,000 toward the hiring of a dozen new healthcare center staff.

Wollenzien, Jr. says looking at the state long-term however,more help is needed to get community health centers inevery one of Georgia’s 159 counties.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Dr. Nowlin (PHC Physician), Kathleen Sebelius, Carissa Moser, NP (Hiredwith ARRA Funds), and Ashley Akers (Patient)

INSIDE EDITION SPRING 2010 | 9

In 2009 three of Georgia’s Community Health Centersreceived grants to provide ER Diversion options in theirrespective areas. All three programs have successfullyalleviated use of the ER with non-emergency visits and,maybe more importantly, become medical homes for many.Neighborhood Improvement Project was the first of threeER Diversion Programs to begin in Georgia. In May 2009,the program began on a part-time basis. The programbecame a full time operation in July of 2009.

Like other ER Diversion facilities, the location is veryconvenient. The program office, Belle Terrace DowntownHealth Center, is in the joining medical office tower. Thetower and the ER of University Hospital share an entranceinto the building. The hours of operation are 9am – 9pm.The average wait time is 15 minutes.

Melinda S. Rider, CEO, Neighborhood Improvement Project,reports a strong relationship with University Hospital, “Thehospital donated the Golden Camp Road location to us about10 years ago. They are very familiar with our mission ofcaring for the underserved.” Certainly this close relationshipcontributes to the success of this program.

In October 2009, a Professor of Business Administrationfrom Augusta State University, Nabil A. Ibrahim, PhD,conducted a survey of patients from the Belle TerraceDowntown Health Center. The results show the majority ofpatients felt the quality of services they received were“excellent” or “good”. Two-thirds reported they had“nowhere else” to go or would have gone to the ER and werevery appreciative of the health care they were able to receivethrough this program. The study revealed the typical patientwas unemployed, has an annual household income of lessthan $10,000 and does not have health insurance.

Ms. Rider does plan to apply for the grant extension throughSeptember and is considering additional funding sourcesbeyond that time.

The ER Diversion program in Chatsworth, Prime Care, issponsored by Georgia Mountains Health Services –Chatsworth. This program is unique in that the office islocated inside the ER. A Nurse Practitioner and support staffhave a designated area of the ER of Murray Medical CenterHospital. Hospital Staff triage the patients; if an illness/injuryis deemed appropriate for redirection, the patient is given theoption to been seen by Prime Care’s Nurse Practitioner.

In the ER, an office visit is $100. Through Prime Care, the $35 office visit covers labs, but does not cover x-rays. Follow up appointments are made for Georgia Mountains Health Services Health Center located in Chatsworth.

Steven Miracle, Georgia Mountains Health Services, CEO, says the relationship between his health center and the hospital is strong and that this is a hugecomponent to the success of the program. The hospital has been supportive of the program since the beginning,even promoting the kick-off through newspaper advertisements. Mr. Miracle, Karen Driskill, Operations Manager, and Karen Blalock, Prime Care’s Manager, meet with hospital administrators everysix to eight weeks to assess the program.

ER Diversion Programs in GeorgiaLead to Medical Homes for Many

By Deanne Messina, GAPHC

10 | INSIDE EDITION SPRING 2010

Mr. Miracle believes the biggest challenge to having amedical home for most patients is that the concept is sounfamiliar to them. This is clearly an indication thateducation is needed.

Georgia Mountains Health Services is currently working toobtain provider numbers and create a process for front endcollections. Their grant funding expires in April and theyhope to receive an extension through September of this year.After that, funding is uncertain. It’s possible the hospital willdetermine Prime Care a valuable partner in need of financialsupport, or possibly Medicaid and Medicare will recognizethe savings incurred by the ER Diversion programs assomething that should continue.

Southwest Georgia Health Care is hosting two ER Diversionprojects with one location in Cordele and two Americus. InCordele, Crisp Urgent and Medical Care is located across thestreet from the Crisp Regional Hospital’s ER Department.Hours are 9am – 10pm Monday through Saturday and 2pm– 10pm on Sundays. In Americus, Sumter Convenient Careis located half a mile from Phoebe-Sumter Hospital. Hoursare 8:30am – 5pm, Monday through Friday. The secondlocation in Americus, Americus Urgent Care is locatedacross the street from Phoebe-Sumter Hospital; its hours are6pm until 9pm Monday through Friday, 9am until 8pm onSaturdays and 11am until 7pm on Sundays.

The uninsured patients are provided care based on slidingfee scale, and for others with third party payors, claims aresubmitted. The average wait time in both facilities is 5

minutes. Employee incentive programs are in place to keeppatient wait times short when possible. Labs and x-rays areprocessed through collaboration with the hospital. In aparticularly collaborative effort, a trained hospital staffperson walks across the street to the Crisp Urgent andMedical Care facility and uses the equipment there to take x-rays when diverted patients are in need of x-rays.

Ajay Gehlot, CEO, Southwest Georgia Health Care, has avery good relationship with both hospitals. They haveconsistent communication regarding the programs, includingmonthly reports he sends to each hospital explainingprogram related events.

Dr. Gehlot calculates his programs’ Medicaid savings to be$784,890 and Medicare savings as $314,925. He plans to keepboth ER Diversion programs running even after the grantexpires in April.

With these three ER Diversion programs in Georgia, thereare a number of common elements. Primarily, a goodrelationship, with consistent communication, between thehealth center and the hospital is crucial to the success of theprogram. Also, the Medicaid and Medicare savings aresignificant. Accurate reporting to ER Diversion fundingsources could be the key to continuing these programs. Thepatient numbers show there is a need for these ER DiversionPrograms – and medical homes. Continuing to providequality alternatives to the ER and educating the generalpublic will build greater awareness and a larger patient basefor these programs.

Quality Initiative Collaboratives: Learning Session 3

& Primary Care Clinical Network

Continuing Education Conference

April 21-24, 2010

Marriott Evergreen Conference Resort 4021 Lakeview Drive · Stone Mountain, Georgia 30083

INSIDE EDITION SPRING 2010 | 11

importantdates

Georgia’s Community Health Centers’ Board Members, CEOs andstaff members celebrated Community Health Center Day at theCapitol of February 11, 2010. Attendees set-up a displays and storyboards on the second floor Rotunda. The displays explain theprograms and success stories of Community Health Centers (CHCs)providing quality health care to all Georgians. This informal settingallows community leaders to spend time with the CHC governingboards and managers and receive an update on the health careprovided to those in their individual districts.

A number of state representatives visited with the CHC members.Community Health Center Day at the Capitol was declared duringGallery Presentations of Resolutions in both the State House and theState Senate.

Community Health Center Day at the State Capitol

Top row (l to r): Saint Joseph’s Mercy CareServices; Senator GregGoggins (center) with (l-r) TaryBrown, CEO Albany AreaPrimary Health Care andDuane A. Kavka, ExecutiveDirector, GAPHC; TenderCareClinic. Bottom row (l to r):Representative Keith Heard(center) with (l-r) Angela Rouse,Special Services Director, andSteve Smith, CEO, MedLinkGeorgia; Representative RonStephens (center) withSouthside Medical Center StaffMembers K. Nikki Nixon andGaye Bell; WhitefoordCommunity Program.

Left: Southside Medical Center’s Gaye Bell, Director of Auxiliary Services and K.“Nikki” Nixon, Marketing Coordinator

2010March 18 GAPHC Board Meeting

Macon, GA

March 30 Physicians Day

April 21-24 Quality Initiative Collaboratives: Learning Session 3 & PCCN Continuing Education ConferenceStone Mountain, GA

May 5-7 National Farmworker Health Conference, NACHCSan Diego, CA

August 8-14 National Health Center WeekNationwide

September 13-14 Convention and CommunityHealth Institute, NAHCHDallas, TX

October 4-6 GAPHC Annual ConferenceWestin Savannah Harbor,Savannah, GA

November 8-10 PCA Conference, NACHCSt. Louis, MO